I am sure that everyone of us has heard of working our core. The question is why are core exercises so important? Are the guys in the gym with rippling six packs an example what we mean by core stability?

Surprisingly, most of Americans (including the ones with ripped abs)  are at risk of low back injuries in the future. These core muscles include small intricate connections of muscle within the spine along with the larger strap like muscles that surround the spine and anterior portion of the abdomen. Read the full story

Recently I have just finished reading a book entitled Body By Science which was written by Doug McGuff M.D. and John Little. All of the chapters within the book are backed by research and the research articles are listed at the end of the chapters.

This was a very interesting read for anyone interested in the fitness realm. We have all been taught the basic strategy of weight training a body part every other day and mix in some cross fitness cardio somewhere in between. Well these guys take the latest research and really put some theories to the test. Lets dive in and take a closer look to see what kind of gold nuggets we can dig up. Read the full story

The Spotlight section of our website is designed to collect a grouping of articles and posts that deal with a specific pathological condition or an area of focus in the field of Physical Therapy. Read the full story

This is the third installment of a three part series dealing with the 3 phases of healing during soft tissue lesions. The first installment focused on guidelines for the acute phase of healing followed by a second installment focusing on the guidelines for the subacute stage of healing.

The Chronic stage of healing is the last step toward a completely healed scar over the area of the lesion and it is the stage where the scar begins to add tensile strength.

The Chronic Stage (maturation and remodeling) demonstrates no signs of an inflammatory response. Contractures may be present as well as possible areas of adhesion left over as a residual effect from the acute response. Muscle weakness may continue to exist in this stage which can limit function

Since the tissue is beginning to remodel it needs the appropriate stimulus to ensure it aligns properly with the line of force. Realignment and stimulus along with strengthening is the basis for the interventions during this phase of healing. Read the full story

How many times has this scenario been repeated in out patient clinics. A patient comes in with the goal to improve the ability to go from sitting to standing. Immediately the therapist begins to use open chain exercises such as short or long arc quad sets to strengthen the knee. The entire session proceeds and the act of going from sitting to standing is never performed.

This is just one example among many that takes place in clinics each and every day. I agree that sometimes muscle setting exercises are important to maintain the osteokinematics of the joint however it should not be the primary focus of treatment. PT’s need focus on functional goals and use those as a basis for strengthening. Read the full story